Will Investigate Whether Any Bar Licences Granted Hastily: Keralam Excise Minister

Keralam Excise Minister M Liju on Monday said that it will be investigated whether there was any "unwanted hastiness" in the grant of liquor licences to bars by officials.

Liju said that the current government's stand is not to grant licences without carrying out a social impact study.

However, under the existing rules, formulated by the previous LDF administration, licences were being granted within 24 hours to a bar even if it has been shut down for the past several years, the minister told reporters in Delhi.

He alleged that this was being done through certain loopholes created by the earlier government.

"It will be investigated why hasty decisions were taken, and even the Excise Commissioner was not informed in connection with the grant of licences. Everything will be investigated, and all loopholes will be closed," he asserted.

Liju also said that if required, the law will be amended to close the loopholes.

He further said that there were numerous bar licence applications pending before the government and, in connection with it, the Kerala High Court was informed that a licence cannot be granted to a hotel merely based on its star classification, as a social impact study also has to be carried out.

"The High Court accepted the government stand and gave it time till November 30 to take a decision on the pending applications for bar licences," the minister said.

He also said that the recent suspension of three excise officials for granting bar licences was a precursor to an investigation which will be carried out to ascertain whether there was any unwanted hastiness in the matter.

The officials were suspended for granting bar licences to three hotels in Ernakulam and Kottayam districts in violation of the government's stand that no licences would be granted until a new liquor policy was formulated.

The minister said that there were several complaints regarding the grant of bar licences and therefore, a detailed meeting will be called to examine the same.

"We will not allow anyone to sabotage the policy of the government," he said.

He also said that there are complaints of retired excise officials intervening in the issuance of licences, and the same shall be investigated.

"Decisions by this (excise) department make a considerable impact on society, and therefore, its actions have to be taken carefully," the minister said.